1. Multi-graded classrooms
Planning Days, June 13 and 20, 2011

2. Agenda 9:00 – 9:15 Welcome, introductions and purpose
9:15 – 9:45 Getting it all out there
9:45 – 10:10 Looking at the curricula and Curriculum Corner
10:10 – 10:20 Coffee break
10:20 – 11:00 Planning processes think aloud
11:00 – 11:45 Planning groups
11:45 – 12:00 Parking lot
12:00 – 12:45 Lunch
12:45 – 1:05 Assessment, Management and Inquiry clarification
1:05 – 2:00 Digging in
2:00 – 2:10 Coffee break
2:10 – 2:40 Digging in
2:40 – 3:00 Parking lot and reflection

3. Purpose of today
Discuss how renewed curricula and Curriculum Corner supports our work
Share planning, management, instructional and assessment strategies
Work with others in specific areas

4. Today’s Support Team Coordinators Learning Consultants
Digital Learning
Each other

5. Getting it all out there!

6. M-U-L-T-I-G-R-A-D-E-S
Generate phrases that begin with each letter in the word “MULTIGRADES”, elaborating important dimensions of the topic being explored. M U L T I G R A D E S

7. Curricular comfort
Planning
Instruction
Assessment
Inquiry
Classroom Management

8. Looking at the curricula
A review

9. Key Elements of Curricula
Broad Areas of Learning (BAL)
Cross-curricular Competencies (CCC)
Outcomes and Indicators
Active Construction of Meaning
Inquiry Based Learning
Deeper Understanding
Higher Level Questioning
Metacognition
Building Lifelong Learners
Building a Sense of Self and Community
Building Engaged Citizens
Developing Thinking
Developing Identity and Interdependence
Developing Literacies
Developing Social Responsibility

10. Curricular Alignment
Each of the curriculum documents will look very much the same. Although there may be slight differences, generally, the table of contents for each of them will be almost identical. There will be:
consistent language, messaging, format, sections in the same order in each curriculum
3 or 4 goals have been identified
Grade specific outcomes and indicators - you will not see outcomes repeated from grade to grade as was the case with learning objectives in previous curriculum
significant emphasis in inquiry, and a consistent model of inquiry
examples of questions that can lead to deeper understanding
Active construction of meaning

11. Broad Areas of Learning (BAL)
The Broad Areas of Learning are the same for every subject but are interpreted differently in each subject.
Broad Areas of Learning reflect the goals of education for Saskatchewan, and each subject areas contributes to the achievement of the knowledge, skills and attitudes related to these Broad Areas of Learning. The Broad Areas of Learning are stated differently dependent upon the perspective of the subject area.
The Broad Areas of Learning (in the centre of the visual) are a synthesis of the current provincial Goals of Education. These Broad Areas of Learning are the endpoint of what we want our students to be capable of at the end of their K-12 schooling career. Each grade level, beginning with kindergarten, contributes to the achievement of this endpoint.

12. Cross Curricular Competencies (CCC)
The cross-curricular competencies and the areas of study are the “means” by which we help students achieve the “endpoint”.
The CCC’s are four interrelated areas containing understandings, values, skills, and processes considered important for learning in all areas of study. The competencies reflect the Common Essential Learnings
A number of goals have been identified for each of the competencies:
Developing Thinking – thinking and learning contextually, creatively, and critically
Identity and Interdependence – understanding, valuing and caring about oneself, understanding, valuing and respecting human diversity and human rights and responsibilities, understanding and valuing social and environmental interdependence and sustainability
Developing Literacies – by literacies we mean a much broader notion that the traditional definition of literacy, and literacies would include examples such as media literacy, information literacy, physical literacy, scientific literacy, economic literacy etc– constructing knowledge related to various literacies, exploring and interpreiting the world through various literacies, and expressing understanding and communicating meaning using various literacies
Developing Social Responsibility – using moral reasoning processes, engaging in communitarian thinking and dialogue, contributing to the well being of self, others and the natural world.

13. Inquiry A philosophical approach to teaching and learning
Builds on students’ inherent sense of curiosity and wonder
Draws on students’ diverse background and experiences
Provides opportunities for students to become active participants in a search for meaning
The renewed curricula are very inquiry oriented, and you will find many opportunities to engage students in authentic inquiry. It is important to understand that inquiry in not a set of sequential steps to follow, but rather an unique philosophical approach to teaching and learning that builds on the natural sense of curiosity and wonder and the range of experiences and backgrounds that student bring to the classroom. True inquiry enables students to construct meaning in a genuine quest for knowledge and understanding.

14. This graphic is included in all curriculum documents, and was our best attempt to capture the process of constructing understanding through inquiry. Important to understand is that curriculum outcomes should drive the inquiry, by setting the parameters of the scope of the inquiry. The use of a wide range of resources – various media, human, natural – is critical to effective and genuine inquiry.
The graphic shows the impetus for an inquiry – what are the things we wonder about and want to know more about – what questions do I have, and the ultimate purpose of the inquiry – what have we discovered, how will we show our deeper understanding – how are we going to use what we have discovered –will we apply the knowledge, act on it, implement a plan?
The middle section describes how we will get from “I wonder” to “I know”. Critical to the nature of inquiry is the recursive nature of the work, and the need to continuously reflect and revise on the question, the process and the result.

15. Focus on the Commonalities First

16. English Language Arts Goals Compose and Create Comprehend and Respond
Assess and Reflect
Contexts
Same 5 contexts K-9
Many language learning essential questions will be the same across grade levels
Strategies
All grades require B,D,As
Cues and Conventions
All grades emphasize 6 Language Cues and Conventions
Criteria
Compose and Create: Message, Organization, Language
Comprehend and Respond: Ideas and Information, Text Structures and Features, Responding to texts

17. Math Strands Number Patterns and Relations Shape and Space
Statistics and Probability
Goals
Number Sense
Logical Thinking
Spatial Sense
Mathematics as a Human Endeavour
Outcomes
Develop on a continuum and are strongly linked, grade to grade
Essential Questions will be across grades

18. Science Strands Life Science Physical Science Earth and Space Science
Contexts
Scientific Inquiry
Technological Problem-Solving
STSE Decision-Making
Cultural Perspectives
Processes and Domain Literacy
Lab work
Safety
Essential questions may be similar – especially as they relate to scientific literacy

19. Arts Education Goals Cultural/ Historical Creative/ Productive
Critical/ Responsive
Strands
Dance
Drama
Music
Visual Art
Outcomes
The outcomes follow a very consistent pattern and are strongly related grade to grade
Essential questions will often be similar from grade to grade

20. Social Studies Goals Resources and Wealth
Interactions and Interdependence
Power and Authority
Dynamic Relationships
These goals very strongly connect the grades and can be the basis for a multi-grade exploration – topics change but essential questions remain the same

21. Health Goals Understandings, Skills and Confidences Informed Decisions
Engagement and Action
Dimensions
Spiritual
Emotional
Physical
Mental
Outcomes
Many outcomes are related grade-to-grade
Essential questions may be the same at different grade levels
Opportunity for shared instruction as well as independent exploration
Action plans are part of every grade level in some way or another

22. Physical Education Goals Active Living Skillful Movement Relationships
Outcome Continuum
Initiate
Extend
Apply/ Challenge
Essential questions will continue from grade to grade
Developmental Progression
Explore
Progressing Towards Control
Control
Utilization
Action plans
Part of all PE Curricula in some way

23. Core French Dimensions/ Goals Culture Communication Skills
Language Knowledge
General Language Strategies
Outcomes
The outcomes are strongly connected, with a clear continuum from grade to grade
Essential questions will continue from grade to grade

24. Curriculum Corner Review

25. Unpacked outcomes and assessment criteria are your best friends in this process.
Instructional tools will assist you with working with students in multiple grades.
Additional information/ supports are always welcome!!!!!!!!

26. Examples and Think Aloud
ELA 3,4,5
Science 6,7
Health K,1,2

27. Digging In
With supports

28. Parking lot

29. Lunch break 12:00 – 12:45

30. Assessment clarification

31. When both you and your students know the destination (criteria), everyone becomes empowered to be responsible for the learning journey.
You no longer have to “hold all the cards” for successful learning. It becomes a shared responsibility. Your role is to consistently reinforce and expect the required understanding.
Remember, the premise of UbD is that all planning emerges from the criteria. It provides clarity for everyone.

32. Inquiry
Some thoughts

33. Inquiry…
…is based on the belief that understanding is constructed in the process of people working and conversing together as they pose and solve the problems, make discoveries and rigorously test the discoveries that arise in the course of shared activity.
Galileo.org website

34. Inquiry questions
Well-formulated inquiry questions are broad in scope and rich in possibilities.
Such questions encourage students to explore, observe, gather information, plan, analyze, interpret, synthesize, problem solve, apply critical and creative thinking, take risks, create, conclude, document, reflect on learning, and develop new questions for further inquiry.

35. These broad questions will lead to more specific questions that can provide a framework, purpose, and direction for the learning activities in a lesson, or series of lessons, and help students connect what they are learning to their experiences and life beyond school.

36. Entry into inquiry Develop a culture of wonder in your classroom.
Encourage students to ask questions which lead to more questions.
Write the questions down.
Create situations in which wonder and questions can grow.
Provide access to multiple resources.
Design classroom areas for stimulation, contemplation and idea generation.

37. More Ideas… Use a variety of texts to cultivate curiosity.
Connect to personal artifacts and experiences.
Take students beyond their “four walls.”
Offer language frames such as I wonder…, I think…, This is what I see…, This is what it tells me…
Encourage personal responses and personal connections.
Consider before, during and after strategies in every subject.

38. inquiry-oriented instruction models
Project-based learning
Problem-based learning
Group investigations
Inquiry groups
Guided inquiry
Experiments
Inquiry circles
Simulations
Ideagrams
Experiential learning

39. Framing the unit
What is a concept or understanding significant enough to deserve in-depth treatment?
What is a more specific question that will lead to understandings gained from activities in this unit and will require students to make judgements?
What will students do at the end of the unit to answer the central unit question (Big Idea)?

40. clarification
Inquiry relies on problems that are of emerging relevance to students.
However, relevance does not have to be pre-existing for students.
Relevance can emerge through teacher mediation.

41. Management

42. Strategies for Managing Multi-graded Classrooms
Be sure students have a plan for getting help when you’re busy with another student or group.
Teach students to rearrange furniture.
Give your students as much responsibility for their learning as possible.
Promote on-task behavior.
Engage your students in talking about classroom procedures and group processes.
Use anchor activities.
Provide instructions both auditory and visually.

43. Multi-grade Opportunities
The teacher has the opportunity to get to know the students extremely well. The teacher, therefore, is in a position to plan for and monitor each student's learning and development in a continuous and more responsive fashion over a two or three year period.
Students have the opportunity to experience and participate in a much wider range of educational experiences. Opportunities are there for students to encounter academic challenges that stretch their abilities and to review and revisit work that may not have been mastered.

44. All students have the opportunity to experience a variety of roles and responsibilities as they progress from being the newest members of the class to being the more senior. Among the most important of these roles is assisting other students learn and modeling desirable attitudes and values.
 The class operates, in the first instance, not as separate grade groups but as a unified community of learners.

45. Parking lot and reflection

46. I am feeling…
The most valuable thing…
From here I can…
I still wonder…